Senior Project "Itching Minds" series

Emotional discomfort may not directly manifest in an observable form; however, it can feel like a hand constantly itching and pressing onto one’s skin. “Itching Minds” is a series of self-portraits exploring the intangible feelings of an anxious or depressive mind. I use a grid pattern to reference the structure and stability of mental health, and how it can break, overlap, and disappear entirely. Lemons are metaphors for healing and self-care; also a slight nod to “when life give you lemons…”

Just as the feelings of depression and anxiety can go unseen, the process of etching (an intensive process that includes aggressively scratching marks into a plate, forcefully pressing ink below the surface, and gently wiping away excess ink) reveals the sensitive likeness within. By printing using plaster I’m using it as a building material, just as we construct our emotions however fragile and imperfect they may be